Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/126

120 The Kent and Tiger gained the road of Ballasore, where they waited for the spring tides until the 9th, when they proceeded under the conduct of English pilots into the river, and arrived on the 15th at Fulta. Here they were joined, on the 20th, by all the other vessels, excepting the Cumberland and the Marlborough, the absence of which greatly impaired the force of the armament: for the Cumberland was not only the largest ship in the squadron, but had likewise on board 250 of the European troops; and the greatest part of the field artillery had been imprudently shipped on board of the Marlborough. The detachment with Major Kilpatrick had arrived at Fulta on the second of August, but were not deemed a force sufficient to risque hostilities; and the vessels before assembled there being too much crowded to receive them on board, they were obliged to encamp in the swampy grounds near the town, where sickness prevailed amongst them so much, that of the whole detachment, which was 230 when sent, one half were dead, and of the remainder not more than thirty men were able to do duty when Admiral Watson arrived. The rainy season, which began whilst the Nabob was before Calcutta, prevented him after his return to Muxadavad from reassuming his former intention of attacking his relation the Phousdar of Purneah until the month of October. He then marched to that country: when the two armies encamped in sight of each other, the Phousdar, a headstrong youth, saw the general Meer Jaffier with a party reconnoitring, and mistaking his ensigns for the Nabob's hastened with the foremost of his cavalry to attack him, and was killed in the onset. The country of Purneah submitted immediately after his death, and the Nabob returned in triumph to his capital: where, ruminating on the excess and apparent security of his fortunes he continued to imagine, that the English would never venture hostilities in his dominions; to which presumption his ignorance did not a little contribute; for he was often heard to say, that he did not believe there were ten thousand men in all Europe. His ministers, however, had convinced him, that his revenues would be